Hello,

I recently moved to South Texas for the "oil boom" and purchased a boat. I'm not looking for any handouts or give away hot spots... but i would like to see if anyone can just give some good advice or trends that can help me with the basics of bay fishing. I am a freshwater guy by trade so I like to use a lot of artificial plastics and such. I have jigged a couple times in the bay over some flats and oyster reefs and had pretty good luck so I have an idea of what to do in those type of fishing situations.

Thanks for any suggestions in advance!

You might try drift fishing first. Just idle upwind of the area you would like to fish, cut the outboard off, then let the wind drift you over your area. Cast with the wind using a 1/4 oz. jig head with the soft plastic of your choice ( I like bass assassin)or try throwing a topwater like a Rapala Skitterwalk. Long casts and trying to keep it quiet in the boat will help. Try drifting parallel to those oyster reefs or scattered grass flats and you should pick up some fish. When through with your drift start outboard and run back upwind, keeping clear of your "area" if your going to make another drift. Be kind to other boaters and wade fishers.

Launch from Cove Harbor just out of Rockport on hwy. 35. Take the barge channel/ICW down to marker 17. Most any boat will draft in this cut. Once clear of the cut hold slightly to the right, towards Traylor Island. You will find another marked channel that goes out to Lydia Ann channel. Right to Port Aransas, left to Aransas bay. Lots of good fishing to be had between Cove Harbor and hwy. 361 that runs from Aransas Pass to the ferry boat crossing in Port Aransas. There is also Conn Brown marina in A.P. or Hamptons Landing.
Go by Tackel Town in Rockport, visit with the guys and pick up a Hook and Line map of the area, $12.95 money well spent.
As for tackle and tactics, oldsalty, pretty well covered it.

Thank you for the advice guys... I will let you know how it goes!

As much as it pains me,artificials may not be the most productive method this time of year. Live shrimp unde a popping cork are very productive, particularly for trout. The downsides being a.)very expensive b.)hard to keep alive c.)smaller trout and bait thieves love them.
In another month or so, you'll start hearing more about croakers as bait. It requires a certain expertise to fish these, something I've not aquired, but they are deadly on trout.
For reds, whole finger mullet are a great option. Fish them on a Carolina rig, and you'll get hook-ups. Cut mullet works well also. Good news here is they are cheap, cheaper if you own a cast net.